A Business Insider report earlier this week suggested that Amazon envisions having 20 bricks-and-mortar grocery stores open by the end of 2018, and as many as 2,000 in another 10 years. The report said the information was gathered from internal memos sent between 2014 and 2016. Amazon has not commented publicly.
According to Business Insider, locations for the 20 stores would include New York, Miami and Las Vegas, and would serve as tests. A rollout of as many as 200 stores per year could follow, pending the test results.
Supermarket News pointed out yesterday that Amazon’s entry into bricks-and-mortar food retail would suggest that the future of grocery shopping includes a combination of virtual and physical options.
Amazon Fresh, the company’s virtual shopping option, expanded this week in the Dallas and Chicago markets.